News

The EU decision to put indoor air quality (IAQ) on its building agenda for the first time has been welcomed by the Chairman of Waterloo Air Products.

Research by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and Lancet Countdown[1] showed that 44 of 51 UK towns and cities monitored had breached World Health Organisation guidelines for outdoor air quality.

​Waterloo Chairman Rick Edmondson said: “This report highlights just how bad outdoor air quality is in the UK, it shows that nowhere is exempt from pollutants. Echoing Dr Toby Hillman’s comment, from the Royal College of Physicians, poor air quality is a lifetime threat to human health.''

But he says outdoor air pollution is only half the story, adding: “We have to look inside too. Pollutants in indoor air can be up to five times higher than outside[2]. With people on average spending 90 per cent of their time inside, it’s just as, if not more important to improve the quality of air inside.”

The EU has added indoor air quality to its building agenda as it looks to rethink future building standards in the wake of reports showing the health and economic implications of poorly ventilated buildings.Rick Edmondson said: "“This is a big step forwards. Making indoor ventilation part of a building design criteria is one of the most effective ways to tackle poor air quality.

"At Waterloo, we provide grilles, diffusers and other air terminal devices which help create a good mixture of air. We also share knowledge with architects, engineers and developers to ensure they have the best advice and information on how our products can help to improve indoor air quality.”www.waterloo.co.uk